


Through Our Stars

by obviouslyelementary



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, F/M, Force Sensitive!Oswald, Gen, Imperial General!Edward, M/M, More to add - Freeform, Romance, Smuggler!Fish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-11-24 14:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18166115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obviouslyelementary/pseuds/obviouslyelementary
Summary: The Empire is coming to ruins. The rebels are winning. General Nygma is sent one last order: find the emperor's apprendice and take back the power.He just couldn't expect what would happen when he finally found said apprendice, in a system far from Imperial zones, working for smugglers. To get him out of there would be chaos.But for his Emperor, Nygma would do anything. Even learn how to live with a spoiled and sometimes psycopath Oswald Cobblepot.





	1. Introduction

The truth was one, plain and simple: the empire was falling, all systems were being evacuated, the rebels were winning and there was no chance of a turn back. Not at their current force. The emperor had fallen, and the last of his generals were all fleeing federation lands to far away planets, in hopes of escaping sure death.

General Nygma was ready to die for the empire. One of few ready to sacrifice all his vessels and crew for a slim chance of success. In their system, his forces were way more powerful than the rebels, crushing them instantly. But he was aware it was a matter of time until the true force reached their base and decimated everything. He was ready for it, and so were his troupes. They would die for the emperor any day.

But news came along that surprised him. One of his subordinates arrived with a message from the emperor himself, telling him coordinates to follow. 'Abandon command and flee, General Nygma. I have bigger plans for you' the message said, and carried with it several instructions. He was to take one other tripulant if needed. Preferably, he should go alone. He should leave his base immediately and head towards this new set of systems far away from federation zones, somewhere Nygma had never heard of. And he was to take all copies of Jedi and Sith books he held as part of their deal. All generals had at least one or two books studying the force, in case the emperor was to be killed. Also, he was not supposed to tell any of his subordinates about those new orders.

He was confused as he received such detailed instructions, but he would not deny the emperor a last wish. Doing as he was told, Nygma released himself from duty, assigning his second in command to the post, and left to his chambers to pack his bags and leave. He had no time to waste, and yet every moment he spent organizing all the emperor had requested seemed to last a life time.

When he was finally done, Nygma turned to leave his chambers, stopped by the doors opening and his lieutenant walking inside, closing the door behind herself.

He froze for a second, placing his bags down as she walked closer.

"Lieutenant Kringle... what are you doing here?" he asked, walking towards her as well, and she looked around the room, her eyes always so perceptive.

"You are leaving" Kristen whispered, eyes shifting back to his, showing some type of vulnerability he had never seen in her eyes before. "You are abandoning us."

"I don't have a choice, Kristen" Nygma replied, taking her small hands into his, squeezing them lightly as she looked away. "I promise you will be fine. This base will not surrender to the force of a few rebels... I will come back as soon as you can imagine."

"We will be destroyed and you know as much. That is why you're leaving" she said, coldly, and pulled her hands away, arms embracing her own waist as she turned away from him. He felt a pang in his chest, but he knew she was right. "You said... that once the war was over, we would be together. No matter which side won."

"And we will" Nygma assured, walking to her and pulling her for a hug, feeling her relax into his arms, lean back against him. He kissed her neck up to her ear, sighing against her nape. "I promise you. I will be back. And we will be together."

"I love you Edward" Kristen whispered, turning her face towards him and cupping his cheek with her hand. He looked down at her, turning her around in his arms and brushing their noses together.

"I love you too Kristen" he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "I will be back."

And just like that, he stepped away, took his bags and left the room without a single glance back. She stayed behind, watching him leave, while he let out a shaky sigh and followed his path down to the hangar.

He loved Kristen Kringle, but the emperor, the empire, was way more important than his futile feelings for anyone else.

 

Nygma gathered all his belongings into neat packages, and chose his favorite droid as he walked through the hangar. The R7-D8 followed him down the black, shiny hallways all the way to his ship, where he put on his bags and climbed on after giving the command to his subordinates. The ship turned on, the R7 was connected, everything ran perfectly. He added the coordinates to the ship's navigation system, and the R7 assimilated everything correctly, giving him a direct course to the planetary system the emperor had commanded him to go.

Then, it was just wait until the men liberated his departure, and fly out of the base into the void with nothing more than a droid, a few packs of food and water, some clothes and weapons, and two books that told a part of the force teachings.

Whatever was that he would find all the way into those planets was beyond General Nygma's expectations. All he was sure of was that this was a chance for the empire to return to its glory. The emperor would never make a move so bold without a reasoning behind it.

Nygma was destined for something more, he was sure. And whatever that was, he was about to find out.

 

 -----------------------

 

Working for a group of weapon smugglers outside imperial or republic zones was not a problem. In fact it was fairly incredible, because they weren't threatened in any way, shape or form. They could just live their miserable lives around the system, pretending not to know about the mass murders and destruction that was happening just a few light years away from them.

No, living in GM-C was perfect. There couldn't be a better place to live in such troubled times. The problem was that he, Oswald Cobblepot, was born for something better.

Something better than being Fish Mooney's servant, that was.

"Oswald, could you please serve me and my guests some wine? And then go make yourself useful" the part woman part robot criminal mastermind said from her table, where she was accompanied by two old, large men. Probably a new deal. Oswald nodded quickly at Fish's request, walking to the kitchen and getting their best wine, serving their glasses and then taking the tray with the glasses and the wine bottle towards them. "Good. Now shoo."

"Yes, miss Mooney" he said, always so submissive as he was. Oswald walked outside of the station, deciding against going to his chambers or trying to talk to someone else. Instead he walked through the long streets of the outside market, now closed, and looked up at the stars, at the many ships that came and went through their atmosphere, into the big space void.

He had never been in space. Ever. Which would sound ridiculous to anyone else in that universe they lived in. Ships came and went all the time. His own mother was a fugitive from one of the many worlds that were taken over by the empire. But he had never been out of this god forsaken planet. Fish would never send him somewhere else, she wanted him as close as possible. And without her command, he couldn't go anywhere. She commanded everything around there.

So, he could only dream. Stopping by a little hangar, Oswald looked up at the sky, counting the ships that came and went, one by one, getting them mixed with some stars sometimes. His wish was to get out of that planet and know the whole universe. Command his own troops. Become rich and famous and powerful.

But all he had was a small apartment for his mother, ways of living, and maybe a chance of getting a higher rank.

And there were the dreams too.

He never understood them. In his dreams, a dark voice talked to him, told him about powers he did not know or understand. Told him he could do many things if he put his mind to it. But the dreams, that in his childhood were so present, had become scarce in the last years. And last night, he felt as if part of him had disappeared when he had no dream whatsoever.

But there was a message. Someone was coming. He had no idea how he knew that, or why, but he felt it. Someone was coming from out of space to meet him, any day now.

He just had to wait.

Maybe then Oswald would understand his propose.

Maybe then he would become who he knew he was meant to be.


	2. GM-C

"Miss Mooney" one of Mooney's man said, approaching the table where she and Oswald were appreciating some new alien's show. She lifted her hand for the creature to stop its singing and turned to him, seeming annoyed. Oswald just remained quiet, looking at them. "An empire vessel is approaching our system. They are trying to make contact. Should we allow them inside?"

"Have they said the code?" she asked, crossing her legs, and the man nodded.

"Yes. They have."

"Have they told us what is the reason for their visit? I wasn't expecting empire visits until way after their loss."

"They said that the emperor sent them in a strict mission to find someone here in our system" he said, and Oswald frowned. Fish didn't seem pleased, straightening her position and nodding.

"Let them in. Send a group of guards straight to the main hangar, and two ships to guide them through the atmosphere. I don't want them wondering around, bring them straight to me" she said, firmly, and the man gave a quick bow before walking away. She sighed and turned back, waving for the alien to continue its singing before reaching for her drink and sipping a little bit from it. "What do you think about this, Oswald?"

He almost jumped at being called, before he looked up at her confused.

"What do you mean Fish?" he asked, nervously holding his glass of drink close to himself. He had no idea what the empire wanted, or what Fish meant by it. She was serious, not even a shadow of a smile on her face.

"What do you think about this sudden visit?" she asked, changing the leg she was crossing and then sliding her reptile-like stare towards him, making him swallow thick. "Empire ship, emperor's direct orders, finding someone in my territory..." her eyes had a glint, as if she knew something he didn't. Made his heart speed its beats. "Who do you think they are looking for?"

"Um... honestly they could be just diverging our attention" Oswald said, looking back at his glass and taking a sip of the blue drink. "Maybe they have a plan. To steal some of our weapons and ships. After all, the empire is losing. They don't have credits to spare before the rebellion ends their decades of ruling."

"Very interesting remark" Fish said, placing her glass down. Oswald looked up at her again, just as she reached out and gently slid her long nails over his cheeks and jaw. "You are growing smarter every day, Oswald. I have been training you well." She stopped her hand and held his chin with her thumb, moving his head around a bit and then focusing deep inside his eyes. "You are special Oswald. And you know that. Don't you?"

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about Fish" Oswald stuttered, nervous, before she chuckled and let go from his face. She got her drink, finished it in a single turn of the glass and stood up, clapping her hands to let the creature in the stage know the show was over.

"Come along Oswald. We don't have time to lose" she said, walking away from the table, and he followed quickly, holding Fish's umbrella close to himself and forgetting his drink on the table.

Could Fish know about his dreams? About the things he felt?

And could that empire ship that was coming closer to the planet hold the meaning to his last dream? Was it what Oswald should have been waiting? The person that would set him free of that place?

He tried not to think about anything as he followed Fish through the many hallways of their base. He was there to serve and nothing more.

 

\----------------------------

 

"I know R7, I know" Edward sighed as they made their way inside the system, directed to GM-C, the central planet of the system. He sighed, checking the approach of two unidentified vessels, one to his left and other to his right. "I knew we would be escorted, what else was I supposed to do?"

\- MAKE A DIFFERENT PATTERN AND ENTER IN DISGUISE – the droid answered in his screen and Edward chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"We have nothing to lose R7. We are doing nothing wrong. I know smugglers aren't to be trusted but we have strict orders, no fire power, and the empire is in ruins. There is literally nothing they can ask me or take from me that isn’t already taken" he said, watching his screen as the two ships made a sharp turn and began flying side by side with him, guiding him through the system. "I feel like I'm on a special tour, not on a mission."

\- WE CAN BLAST THEM –

"Please don't" Edward said, not helping himself and laughing a little at R7-D8's extreme methods. "We don't want to cause any trouble. We just need to find the emperor's apprentice and get out of here to this other set of planets he directed me towards. I have a feeling this will be a long mission... maybe longer than one year. I should have said goodbye more properly" he sighed, turning the ship to follow the other two into the planet's atmosphere.

\- SEND LIEUTENANT KRINGLE A MESSAGE –

"It is best if she doesn't know. I don't even know if she will survive the rebel's attacks" Edward said, looking around at the planet he was descending to. 78% water, perfect conditions for life forms, advanced technology... seemed like he was in a great metropolis from the imperial zone. The ships guided him down to the surface and then towards the main hangar, where ships were coming and going at all moments. "So this... is Gotham hun?"

\- INDUSTRIAL CAPITAL OF THE PLANET GM-C. GOTHAM IS THE BIGGEST WEAPON AND SHIP DEALER FROM THE QUADRANT, WITH A POPULATION OF 20 MILLION CITIZENS AND MORE THAN 40 THOUSAND DIFFERENT SMUGGLING BUSINESS COMMANDED BY FISH MOONEY –

"I didn't need to know all of that R7, but thank you for the input anyway" Edward said, rolling his eyes at the android's excitement. He was always like this when he was about to meet some new machines he had never seen. Eventually they reached the hangar and Edward was shown where to park his vessel, stopping the ship and getting himself out, with everything else he would need for that conversation.

He removed R7 from the ship and told him to move along, both of them being quickly surrounded by guards that silently nodded for him to follow. And Edward did, silently, fixing the insignia that showed that he was a general of the imperial forces. They followed a long set of hallways, until they reached a door that looked more like a club than a smuggling center. He walked inside, following the guards, and eventually he reached a room where he was put inside and left alone.

It looked like an interrogation room of sorts.

After a while waiting, someone walked inside the room. Edward looked up at them, and his eyes caught hold of one of the most bizarre creatures he had ever seen.

It looked humanly female, although he was sure not to assume after so many encounters he already had had before. Its body was slim, with a dress so glued that looked more like a second skin than actually fabric. Its eyes had different colors, one blue and one hazel. The blue one was surrounded by cables and metal pieces that stretched all the way to its forehead and jaw line. Half of its face was robot, and the other half was humanoid, apart from its eye and teeth. Its pupils looked like a reptile's, and its mouth had sharp, long fangs. It also had nails that looked feline, sharp and deadly. The creature imposed power, and Edward would be lying if he said he wasn't intimidated. But he had seen worst in his training years. It was nothing he couldn’t handle.

Just behind it, another figure appeared. This time, they gave Edward no fear. They were human, full human at least. Short stature, mostly male characteristics, bright green eyes that made them look like a scared animal. Their skin was fair, pearly white, which gave a contrast with their black hair and long dark eyelashes. They showed no security, no certainty. They were completely submissive to the other creature, a power play of sorts. Edward knew of it too well. That was who he saw: boss and servant.

So the creature was probably Fish Mooney.

"Pleasure to meet you, empire general" it said, walking closer and offering its hand. "My name is Fish Mooney, and you are in my zone now."

He was certain he was.


	3. Smugglers and Rebels

"State me your name, position and base of command" Fish said, after some quick introductions, sitting on the chair in front of the man's. Oswald stood behind, watching them both closer to the door.

To be honest he couldn't help but notice the man sitting in front of his boss. He held himself with such certainty, face serious, straight forward, eyes never leaving Fish's, showing no signs of discomfort or fear. All of that combined with is uniform, his general insignia and physique made Oswald a little too excited.

When had been the last time he even got laid with anyone? Or that he fancied someone? It had been ages... But that wasn't exactly the time to think about those types of things. So instead he payed attention to the conversation in front of him, having already lost the answer to the first question.

"Very well, and what are you doing here, General Nygma?" she asked, and Oswald hummed to himself. Nygma. That was a nice name. The man took out the files he had brought with him, sliding them towards Fish.

"The emperor sent me a last mission. I was supposed to come all the way here and find his next apprentice" he said, as Fish slowly opened the file and checked it. Oswald leaned closer, trying to check it. All he could see were a few words, but nothing he could read at that distance. "By my understanding, he wants me to find them, train them with the few books about the force I was about to retrieve and make them the new Sith, to stablish the balance of the force again and maybe rebuild the empire."

"You make this sound oh so tempting, general, but I have no idea whom is the one you seek" Fish said after reading the files, pushing them back towards Nygma. "I haven't seen someone force sensitive around these lands since... before the empire took over."

"Perhaps they haven't realized they have the force just yet. I am extremely curious about the ways of the force, and it can surely take its time to show signs. In any case, I should be able to find the person by myself. After all, the emperor said that whoever was to be his apprentice would know the moment they heard about him. In the last file, the emperor says he has been training them since childhood through their dreams... He said he even left a message warning of my arrival. It is all subconscious but whoever I'm looking for would understand."

"Well general I would love to help, however I have no idea who could possibly be the creature you are looking for" Fish said, standing up and smiling down at Nygma. "Also, because of planet policy, you cannot stay for longer than a single night. So I hope you have a fine stay, but tomorrow you must go. Having an imperial general in my neutral lands is bad for business."

"... very well" Nygma said, before his eyes drifted to Oswald, who had just been there listening and was not being stared at by him. "Could I have a quick word with your..."

"Oswald? Oh no, he only speaks when I allow him to. This is not one of those moments" she said, turning around and waving for him to follow. Oswald gave her a quick and nervous nod and then looked back at Nygma, who had been staring at him for a long time. Then, he walked out and closed the door behind himself. "Oswald, you are forbidden of walking inside that room again. Now, come along. We need to talk and that man must leave."

Oswald nodded again and followed Fish, swallowing thickly and trying not to think about what General Nygma had described. He had nightmares about a man, he heard his voice sometimes. He had sent a message saying he was supposed to run with him. Maybe Fish could give him some time to figure everything out. But not that night. She seemed angry. Disturbed.

Oswald didn't know what was that she knew, but she was hiding it well. And he did not like secrets all that much.

 

\------------------------

 

Edward gathered all his things, decided to accomplish his mission. If he only had one night and one day to find out whoever the emperor was looking for, that was exactly what he was about to do. He stood up with everything in hand and directed himself out of the room, heading through the club to the fresh air outside and walking towards a small store. He would ask around, maybe they would know of some loner that knew about the force, or about the person he was looking for.

It shouldn't be too hard, finding a sith apprentice right?

He sighed, walking inside the lonely bar. It wasn't night just yet, which meant it was mostly empty. He walked to the counter and sat down, ordering for a drink just to begin some conversation. The bartender gave him a glance and then slowly gave him his drink, stopping in front of him and leaning over the counter.

"An imperial general at these lands? After all that destruction? You should fear walking around like this, showing off your badge" he said, tilting his head. Edward just rolled his eyes and downed his drink, nodding for another. The man gave him more.

"The empire is in ruins. I have no value what so ever. Besides, I was to die anyway in my base. I have no reason to hide" he responded, downing his second drink and lifting his glance to the bartender. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Well, you just did. But I will answer another one" he winked, and Edward was already regretting waling inside that junkyard.

"Are there any force users in this zone? Anyone you might know, someone that hides away, or maybe someone that works for Mooney or any of the other smugglers around?" he asked, straight to the point. The man looked at him suspiciously. "I know it is a weird question, but have you ever heard of someone practicing some weird tricks... anything like magic or the alike?"

"Well, you are lucky we are a neutral zone, or else I would have three guards arrest you right now" the man said, smirking and giving Edward another drink without him asking. "The emperor sent you here to find a new force user to train... that man is intelligent."

"Not as much as one would guess" Edward mumbled, looking down at his third drink. "He is dead anyway. Defeated by those stupid rebels. My base was holding strong, but then he sent me to this mission... It doesn't matter. If you have never heard of anything like that, I can just go. I only have a night and a day left to search, I don't have time for small talk."

"The only rumors I have heard is that somehow, Mooney always knew about the imperial approach beforehand, with no one telling her" the man said, and Edward lifted his head interested. "But there is only one man that may be able to answer why, or who was behind this."

"And where is this man?" Edward asked, furrowing his eyebrows. That was the only clue he had. "Where can I find him? What is his name?"

"Relax general" the bartender chuckled, grabbing a drink for himself and sipping on it. "He will be arriving shortly. He's my partner. Name's Bullock" he raised his hand, to which Edward took a moment before accepting the shake. "This little shop is just our base undercover. And I think, general, that you are the exact man we need for the job we are trying to work. So we help you find that... force user you're looking for, and you help us in our little plan to get out of here."

"... I will discuss further with your partner, but it doesn't sound like a bad idea in the slightest" Edward admitted, letting go of Bullock's hand and downing another drink. "What is your partner's name?"

"Gordon. James Gordon."

Edward looked at Bullock, surprised, and the man smirked at him, drinking some more of his own drink.

James Gordon. The famous rebel smuggler. Former rebel captain, taken out of duty by insubordination.

He was going to help a bunch of rebels?

Edward closed his eyes and sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

He had no other option, had he?

Very well.

A bunch of rebels it was.


	4. Force User

Like Bullock said, it took Gordon half an hour to arrive. Edward was already growing impatient, every second wasted was a second closer to his plan failing. But his only good lead was Gordon, even if he was as trustworthy as bounty hunter. In any case, he arrived, and with him, he brought one of the most gorgeous aliens Edward had ever seen.

With long, red hair that looked more like seaweed from Taris 5, and with a beautiful salmon-greenish skin tone, the woman-like alien that followed the blond, blue eyed humanoid was one of the most exquisite creatures Edward had ever seen.

As they approached, Bullock got out from behind the counter and met them halfway in, talking in whispers as Edward so generously waited behind, checking every centimeter of the alien in front of him. After the three talked for a moment, the blond man that Edward could only assume was Gordon walked towards him and smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"An imperial general needing some rebel smugglers help" he said, leaning against the counter in a superior manner that made Edward sure this was no going to be a pleasant conversation.

However he had no time for lies and games.

"Precisely. Your friend Bullock told me you have knowledge of a force user in the region" he said, standing up and assuming a position that showed confidence, but no defiance. He wasn't about to fight three rebel smugglers, he wasn't stupid. "I need your assistance into finding them, and as he has told me, you need my assistance getting out of this planet undetected."

"The problem we have is not getting out. We can do that at any moment" Gordon said, nodding for Bullock to get them a drink. "However, we need to get someone with us. That someone is locked up in Mooney's tight grip and we need help retrieving them from her side."

"A rebel prisoner, I believe" Edward said, accepting the drink served to him just as Gordon did. The smuggler took everything down in a single swallow and then sighed, putting the glass back on the counter.

"Wrong. Who it is is not important. Not to you. We need you to create a distraction only a general from the empire can" he smirked, and Edward rolled his eyes.

"There is no deal if you don't tell me who is the person I want, the force user. I will only help you when I have them safely by my side. Only then I can create such diversion to get you to take your friend and leave this planet."

"Now there is the thing, general Nygma" Gordon said, walking closer to him and smirking even wider. "You and I are looking for the same person. The one I want to save is the one that has the force sensitiveness. They are the one that told Fish about all the imperial and rebel attacks to her smuggling point. They are the one that are unaware of their own powers."

"And how do you know that?" Edward asked, extremely suspicious. "How can I believe you? Know you are not tricking me into helping you?"

"Because they were my partner" Gordon said, and then took out a piece of paper from his pocket, that seemed to be at least a few years old. "And they dreamt of your arrival."

He handed the paper to Edward, who slowly opened it up, looking down at the perfectly written calligraphy.

_'Imperial General Edward Nashton Nygma'_

He stared at those words, feeling as if a breeze had passed through and made his spine shiver in fear and disbelief.

He had never told anyone about his second name. Ever. Not even to Kringle...

"Who are they?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly. "I need to know, who are they?!"

"Fish's first-hand man" Gordon said, taking out a little hologram and activating it. The face of that little man that had walked inside after Fish in the interrogation room popped up, and Edward felt breathless. "Oswald Cobblepot. That is who you are looking for. And who I want to take out of this horrible planet."

Edward stared at the hologram, then down at his name, and let out a sigh.

At least he had found who the emperor had been silently training for so long.

And apparently, their meeting had been arranged long before Edward even was a general.

Great.

 

\--------------------------

 

"Oswald honey, come closer" Fish called from where she rested in her bathtub. Oswald, who had been standing outside the bathroom, slowly approached her, waiting for his orders. "Please, massage my feet."

She rose her feet from underneath the water and he nodded, pulling a little bench and sitting on it before taking her left foot on his hands and beginning to massage it. She hummed in contentment, and then looked down at him.

"Oswald... tell me. What did you feel about the man?" she asked, reaching for her glass of wine, and he looked down at her feet, still massaging it slowly.

"He seemed determined. And intelligent" Oswald responded, thinking back at the man in the interrogation room. Edward Nygma. General Edward Nygma. Fish hummed, nodding and slowly moving her foot in his hands.

"Indeed, but what did you feel? Did you feel a... connection to him?" she asked, always so sly, and Oswald held back a sigh. He knew what she was asking, and he didn't really feel like answering honestly.

"No, I felt nothing" he lied, and suddenly her feet were away from him, and she was moving forward, until she was on the other side of the tub, grabbing him by the chin and making him gasp.

"Don't lie to me, pet" she growled, digging her sharp claws into his face and making him whine pathetically, as he always did. His eyes opened to look at her in fear, and she smirked. "I know you felt something. I know you knew he was coming. I know who you are, Oswald..."

"I-I don't know anything, I felt nothing Fish I swear" he begged, but she only squeezed his face harder and leaned over him in an incredibly menacing way. He was almost breathless at how she was holding his face.

"You shouldn't lie to me Oz" she whispered, before she pushed him away against the sink, letting her claws slide through his face, making three perfect scratches. Oswald groaned as he hit the sink, and she stood up, wrapping a robe around her wet and nude fixing her hair and only then reaching for a little button on the wall, that made a collar and a stick show up.

He knew exactly what that was, and he cowered in fear, shaking his head.

"N-no Fish please, please I b-beg you" he whispered, but she took the collar and the stick anyway, approaching him. "N-no, no I don't want to!"

"you don't want anything, you worm" she said, grabbing him by the shirt and making him stand up. He tried to push her away, to which she just responded with a slam of the stick on his bad leg, making him fall with a loud cry of pain. She hit it again, and he cried out once more, feeling the bone crack once more where it hadn't yet healed from the previous beating. Then, she leaned down, opening the collar and reaching for his neck. "You should have just listened to me..."

When he looked up at her, he growled loudly, and suddenly all objects around the room started to move. She looked around, surprised, and then smirked down at him, chuckling.

"There you are" she said, before she grabbed his hair and lifted his head, putting the collar around his neck and watching as all movement stopped and he lowered his head, defeated. "My little caged monster. You know, having you by my side gives me advantages Oswald. I can't allow a simple general or your little rebel friends to get you away from me."

"They will anyway" Oswald found the strength to speak, between the pain on his leg and the blocking of the collar. He looked up at her, tears in his eyes, and gave her a small smirk. "I have seen it. And there is nothing you can do to stop them. They are coming for me... and your kingdom is going to ruin."

Fish looked at him with a rage he had never seen before, and with a yell she slammed the stick as hard as she could against his head, making him immediately pass out.


	5. Into Fish's Base

James and Edward retrieved to talk about their plans in the back of the small bar, the hidden part that no would could see. They sat down with the blueprints of Fish's base in hand, being helped by the alien Edward finally found out the name of (Lee, she called herself). Bullock was kept in the bar to hold back anyone that wanted to sneak in and to give some drinks around to their usual costumers.

It wasn't until the sun was setting and they were almost done with their quick plan that Bullock came down running, shaking his head at them.

"Jim, bad news" he said, sitting in between James and Edward. "I just heard from one of Fish's drunk guards that she and Oswald had a fight, and she locked him up in high security levels. There is no way we can get to him without a better constructed plan."

"Kriff" James mumbled and rubbed his forehead tiredly, sighing deeply to himself. "We don't have time, if Nygma spends more than this night in Gotham she will either lock him up or send him out into space and our best chance will be lost."

"High security you say..." Edward said, humming and slowly crossing his arms. "Maybe... maybe there is something I can do. Is there any channel to which I can send a coded message around here? One that Fish won't be able to track down?"

"We have one" Lee said, stopping next to him and nodding. "Follow me."

James gave him a nod and turned back to Bullock as Edward stood and followed Lee further inside the base. He looked around, seeing the many weapons and gadgets they had both with empire and rebel markings. Smugglers. He chuckled to himself and turned on a hallway as Lee did, his attention returning to her.

She was truly one of the most good-looking aliens he had ever seen.

"There" she said, nodding to a computer in front of her as she stepped inside a small room, filled with even more gadgets. Edward nodded, sitting down by it and turning it on. "What is your plan, general?"

"The empire has lost, but it can still pull some strings" he said, writing down the location to which the message should be sent. "Besides, all we need is a diversion isn't it? And I got here from my base in less than a day. If I can get contact with whom I need... they will come to our aid in a flash."

He could see Lee's suspicious face by the edge of the reflective screen but he only chuckled to himself. Then, he put on the earbud that would allow him to hear the answer and transmitted the message, waiting for a return.

Took him a few times, but eventually, he read some signals.

 _"Who is transmitting this message?"_ he heard the voice inside his earbud, oh so familiar, and hummed to himself, pulling the microphone closer to his mouth.

"General Nygma, from a secret mission" he said, and the person went silent on the other side of the line. "I need your help getting a prisoner out of their cell. I need some big distractions."

 _"What makes you think I will help, Nygma?"_ she asked, her voice sounding annoyed, but he was sure she was already convinced.

"Because you love me, and because you will be highly rewarded" he said, crossing his leg, and she sighed deeply, taking an instant to answer.

_"Tell me your quadrant and the mission. I will be there as soon as I can."_

"Bella, please, come immediately" he said, leaning over the huge panel of the computer. "I only have around twelve hours to get this done."

_"Always on a tight schedule, Ed."_

"That’s why you love me."

After Isabella agreed on coming to help, he sent her all the details to the mission. He sent her the blueprints of the base, the schedules of the guards, everything James and Bullock had given to him so they could make their plan. He also sent her a hologram of Cobblepot, in case she found him in her assault. She assured him she would be around in ten hours, and that he and his partners would have enough time to get Cobblepot and leave without being noticed.

After they escaped, they were to meet in moon UO-8 so she would get her reward, and he agreed, cutting the transmission and looking at Lee with a smirk.

"We have ten hours to prepare our assault" he said, to which she responded with a smirk and left the room, followed by Edward, heading to tell James about their new plan.

 

\-------------------

 

"Oswald? Lunch time"

"I don't want to eat" he responded, curled up in the cell in the farthest away corner from the door. The cyborg outside frowned, slowly sliding the food under the bars of the cell and sighing.

"You need to. You organic forms need organic matter as fuel" he said, upset. Oswald turned to look at the cyborg, frowning at him. "You know I want to help you get out of there Oswald but... if I do, Fish will destroy me."

"I know" Oswald sighed and slowly stood up, touching the collar around his neck and walking to the food. He sat down again, pulling the tray to his lap and sighing. "Thanks Butch. You are a nice friend."

"I do my best, in all honesty" he agreed, frowning at Oswald. "Will you be okay?"

"Yes" he nodded, looking up at him. "I saw the day of my escape in my dreams. It is a few hours from now. I shouldn't worry."

"Is that why you fought Fish? So you would be locked up in here and the plan would get fulfilled?" he asked curiously and Oswald nodded, eating some of his bread.

"I saw that when I was freed, I was standing inside a cage like this one, and the door blew up. Therefore I needed Fish to lock me up, so it would actually happen" he explained, smiling to himself. "I don't understand much of the force yet but I'm sure it has some funny ways of working."

"It sure does" Butch agreed, frowning down at Oswald. "And what then? You will escape, and then what will happen?"

"I believe I will be taken somewhere and trained. That is what my visions showed me at least" he said, finishing his bread and drinking his soup. "Nygma will take me where I must go."

"And then you will be gone forever."

"And then I will be gone. Forever."

 

\----------------------

 

The ten hours passed like a flash. Edward, James, Harvey and Lee got themselves organized, studying the blueprints and making at least three different paths to take to get in and then to get out. They knew the general location where Oswald would be locked up, but not the right cell, so they would have to lose some time looking for him. All of that was accounted for. Isabella kept a steady convo with them, approaching the ten hour mark and assuring that she and her ships were ready to attack at Edward's command.

"We will be bringing Fish down and finishing off a job. How wonderful" Harvey muttered as they got themselves ready, dressed up in suits stolen from Fish's guards and heading towards the base ready for action.

"I sense sarcasm in your tone, Bullock" Edward said, walking to the back of the base and keeping his face calm and steady.

"He has a point. After we are out of here, she will come after us to skin us alive" James said, stopping by an arch close to the base, where they all stopped. Edward rolled his eyes and stared angrily at James.

"Are you giving up? Because I have a mission to fulfill and I won't stop until I'm dead" he said and Lee frowned at him.

"You know Fish will come after Isabella too right?" she asked, moving closer to Edward. "She means something to you, doesn't she? Aren't you worried?"

He looked at her for a few seconds before he chuckled and smirked down at that beautiful alien in front of him.

"Very bold to assume I wouldn't sell Isabella in a second" he said, lifting his hand and slowly sliding one strand of Lee's extraordinary hair behind her ear. "But don't worry. She knows how to handle herself."

"Send the order" James said, calling their attention again. He seemed bothered. Good. "We are going through with the plan."

"Very well" Edward nodded and picked up his communicator, opening a channel to Isabella. "Red alert, begin fire."

He closed the communicator and looked up at the sky. There was a fie second silence before the ships began descending from the sky. Edward smirked and nodded, walking forward to the entrance of the base and being followed by James and his crew.

The four of them were able to get inside just as the assault began, the ships shooting all parts of the base with no warning.

The alert sounded loud around them and the guards began to frantically wonder around, grabbing their guns and running to their positions. In the middle of that madness, they heard Fish's voice through the modules of the base, demanding that all guards went to their posts and began immediate combat, which was precisely what they needed and wanted.

Running through the messy corridors dressed up as guards, they were barely noticed by any of the real guards. James lead them through the hallways, finally reaching a staircase that lead down into the basements, where supposedly the high rank criminals stayed once arrested.

They began walking down the stairs when one of the guards noticed the strange movement.

"Back to you posts!" he screamed out and the four of them stopped, with Nygma turning around to face him. The man recognized him as not one of the personal and grabbed his gun. "Invaders!"

"Go!" Edward screamed out, grabbing his gun and shooting the man on the chest. That called the attention of other guards, all of them coming in their direction. Following their others, James, Lee and Harvey ran downstairs while Edward slowed the guards down, shooting up to five without being hit and then getting a shot on his arm, making him growl in pain and step back. He then shot one of the many gas tubes and the staircase filled with dense gas, giving him a chance to run down while holding his arm.

It stung like hell.

When he reached the end of the stairs, he saw that the hallway drifted to four directions, and he couldn't see where the others were. Groaning, he followed his instincts and went left, running down the hallway and looking around for any of the three rebels or the maximal security wing.

He could hear the guards coming down the stairs in the far back and sped up, listening their guns going off and hitting some walls.

Perfect. Just what he needed.

Edward ran faster down the hallway, turning suddenly and making another sharp turn, before he stopped, not listening anything anymore. He looked around the hallways, finding the silence quite strange, and then held his gun tighter, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Suddenly, he heard a shot in the distance, followed by many others, and opened his eyes, making his way to that direction. As he ran, as silently as possible, he could hear the shots getting louder, until he reached a hallway that gave to the middle of the confusion. As he checked, he could see the door to the high security levels open, and Bullock, James and Lee standing behind some pillars, trying to defend themselves from the shots that came by the other side. Using the wall as his cover up, Edward took out a small bomb from his belt and pulled its pin, before throwing it back in the guards' direction. The fire stopped and there was a loud explosion, causing him to lean forward with the hands over his ears.

He would give no time for error.

Running from his hiding spot, he reached the other three as the guards that were left alive stood up.

"Lets go!" he said, pulling James by the shirt and heading towards the high security levels. As he and James made their way inside, a large metal door closed behind them and all lights went off, separating them from Bullock and Lee, and also leaving them confused.

It took a moment, but suddenly, they heard something loud and heavy step towards them. At the same time the lights went back on, and they saw, at the end of the hallway, a large man wearing a metal armor, holding up a laser axe and walking towards them. The hallway only had one exit, now blocked by the metal door, and all the doors to the prisoners were tightly locked.

There was no other way. They would have to defeat that god damned armored beast before even looking for Cobblepot.

James and Edward shared a glance before putting their guns down and grabbing their hand-to-hand combat weapons.

They would have to work together for that to go well.


	6. Rescue

"Well perfect" Edward whispered, taking his knifes from his pocket as James removed from his back what looked like a short spear with the top made of some type of laser. That would work better against the guard's iron armor, better than his knifes at least.

"I'll go first, slide under his legs and attack him from behind. You keep him distracted" James said, before he ran in the guard's direction. Edward rushed after him, sending a knife flying towards the guard's face and making him distracted for a moment, his hands raising to protect his face with his axe. James used that moment to slide under him, between his legs, and get up immediately after as he growled and swung his axe on Edward's direction, almost catching his stomach.

Whatever James did after that held almost no results. The guard screamed, turning around and slamming the back of his axe with all the strength he could muster against James, that was thrown back a few meters. Edward stared impressed at the man's strength, guessing he was probably an alien in disguise, and saw the hole in the armor, barely getting to any skin, all sides burnt. If he could throw his knife in that small hole... but he couldn't, not from so far.

So he ran towards the man, knife held tight, but as he approached he did the same he did with James, turning around and slamming his axe on Edward's chest, sending him flying against a wall. He groaned loudly, looking up as he approached, biting his lip and reaching for the knife that had fallen from his hands.

With a quick and precise movement, he threw the knife on a rotating motion that perforated the exact spot between the man's arm and body armor, leaving him to growl loudly for a second or two. Enough time for Edward to stand and assume a defensive position until James decided to get his ass up from the floor and attack the guard again. That, however, seemed to be not happening any time soon, especially because Edward couldn’t see James behind the guard in the narrow hallway, so he could only wait. The guard growled and walked towards him again after removing the knife and throwing it on the ground. With a step he broke the blade and groaned loudly, making his way towards Edward and making him step back all the way until his back hit the closed door.

Well kriff.

The guard approached, screaming as he moved his axe up and then came down, slashing it on a horizontal pattern. Edward sunk to the ground, feeling the axe move way too close to his head, just before it came back on a diagonal pattern, making him jump to the side to avoid being sliced. He used his momentum to push one leg against the wall and grab the axe's handle, pushing it towards the guard and making him lose his balance. As he fell, Edward lost his own balance and fell over him, groaning at the pointy edges of the armor. Then he pulled himself up and jumped over the guard as he tried to get up, running towards the other end of the hallway, only to see James on the other end, typing something down a panel.

Edward groaned and ran towards him, grabbing the not broken knife along the way and getting next to James, frowning at the series of numbers on the screen.

"You don’t know the code to get us out of here?" he asked angrily, and James shook his head. "What an amazing plan Gordon!"

"I didn't know the hallways had security doors" he complained, looking around. "Besides we don't even know what cage is Oswald's!"

"It doesn't kriffing matter get away from there" Edward complained, pushing him away and accessing the system himself. "Distract the guard. I will get this done in a second."

"... fine" James complained, grabbing his spear and running to the other end of the hallway to fight off the guard. Edward stood still, typing code after code, adding a little device he always had on himself that allowed him to decode most programs. Faster than he could say 'yes', he had the password to the doors, opening all the high security doors, both from the hallway and each cell, watching as criminal after criminal they walked out, most of them confused as to what had happened.

It took them one minute to understand that they were free, before they began screaming and running around like crazy animals. Some went to the other end of the hallway, probably wanting to fight the guard, while most of them just left, luckily paying Edward no mind.

Now, he just had to find Cobblepot.

 

\----------------------

 

When Oswald heard the sirens going off and the doors locking, he was sure something bad had happened. He could hear the faint shots and the mess that was probably happening in the superior levels, but he couldn't see anything, considering that during an invasion all the cells were closed off.

It took a while, and a few screams coming from the guard and someone else, until the large concrete walls were pulled away from his view and the cell doors were open. His immediate thought was to get out and escape, but as he saw the other prisoners getting out, he quickly closed the cell door again and stayed behind, hopefully unseen. Those people weren't like him, they were real criminals. They killed with no mercy, and had no second thought. And most of them knew Oswald as Fish's first hand man, so just showing up like this way a beg to be eaten alive.

So he hid in the darkness of his cell and waited. Soon, they all began running and smashing each other against bars, a part of the group running away to the exit while other part ran towards the guard, probably killing him instantly. Oswald just stood quiet and still, watching the hallway outside until everyone was gone and the surroundings were quiet.

Only then he dared to move, limping towards the door and walking out, looking around the hallway to see if he could find the one that had released everyone. He could still hear the many shots and screams coming from the upper floors.

He heard two voices coming from deep within the hallway and began limping towards them, curious to see who was left. As he made his way in, the curvature of the hallway made it possible for him to see the two figures, checking cell by cell, opening some up with their hands and closing others that were empty.

Narrowing his eyes, Oswald was able to identify one of the two shadows.

"Jim?"

His voice came out louder than he anticipated, which made him assume a somewhat defensive posture. The two shadows looked up and one of them rushed towards his way, while the other took cautioned steps closer. He could see through the lights in the dim lit hallway, that blond hair belonged to no one else.

"Oswald!" was Jim's response as he approached. He stopped his running after a while, standing in front of Oswald with just a few feet of distance between them. Their eyes met and they stood still for a moment. It felt like coming home, somehow. Oswald felt himself relaxed visibly and limped forward, pulling Jim by the uniform he was wearing and pressing his face to his chest, letting out a relieved sigh.

Jim was quick to wrap his arms around him in a comforting hug, that felt too strange and too familiar at the same time, both of them taking their time, breathing each other in and allowing themselves to relax.

"Could we leave the hugging for later? We still need to get out of this planet" a serious, cold voice came from behind Jim. A voice Oswald did recognize. He lifted his eyes and stood still as Jim pulled away, allowing Oswald to see the man he and Fish had interrogated in the previous afternoon standing in front of him, arms crossed in front of his chest.

"You" Oswald breathed out, all of it suddenly making sense inside his head. "You are the one I dreamt about. Edward Nygma... right? Imperial General?"

"... yes" he answered, stepping closer to Oswald and Jim. "However I did tell you that yesterday... what are you wearing?"

His eyes had fallen on Oswald's metal collar, and he looked down, touching it lightly with his fingers.

"It is a collar that stops my communication with the force, I believe" he said, lifting his eyes again to stare at the general's. "I can't use the force with it on."

"So I will have to believe your word that this is who I'm looking for, without any demonstration of the supposed powers he obtains?" Nygma asked, eyes falling towards Jim, who simply nodded.

"Yes. You will have to take our word for it" he said, firmly, and Nygma stared back at Oswald. He was suddenly very nervous.

"Very well. After all, if this isn't who I want, I can just kill all of you and return later for the real force user I need" he said, and then nodded. "Come along. We need to find your partners and get out of this planet."

And just like that, he walked in front of them, away from Oswald and Jim. The two watched him go until he couldn't be seen again, and Oswald turned to Jim, feeling extremely nervous out of the sudden.

"Shouldn't we follow him?"

"Is he really the man you dreamt of?" Jim asked, serious, staring at the hallway. Oswald sighed and nodded, looking back at where Nygma had left.

"Yes. That's the one."

Jim sighed and nodded, looking down at him and meeting his glance.

"Can you walk? You seem to be limping."

"I'm fine Jim, lets get out of here."

"Follow me."

And he did, all the way out of Fish's base.


	7. Ten Years Before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Jim/Oswald; Gobblepot

_Ten Years Before_

It wasn't at all uncommon to see Oswald sneaking out of Fish's base at around sunset, almost every day. The guards allowed it, receiving no counter propositions from their leader, and the people that worked around the base spread rumors about Fish's right hand boy going out every day to meet a secret lover of sorts. Of course, rumors were rumors, and they spread like the plague, so they only intensified as time went on. However, as much as everyone tried to see where the young man went after he left, no one had been able to point exactly his location, or see him around with anyone.

Many believed him to be a rebel spy. Others, an empire one. Fish, in the other hand, held somewhat of a trust for her young apprentice. He was to be the heir of her fortune after all. And he was valuable, she knew as much.

So if he wanted to go his way after his duties were done, and return in the early morning for his shift, who was she to stop him?

Thus, he had free passage into the city and out of it, without much control. And every day of every week, his path was the same. He took a rented ship to the end of the town, parked it close to the bridges and followed the way out by foot. He walked all the way out of city into the fields that surrounded it, following a secret path into the forest of tall trees and heading to a hill in the middle of the forest.

It was their secret place.

That day was no different, asides from the fact that the hill was empty. He had finally arrived earlier, at last! Oswald followed the way up the hill and looked around at the forest that surrounded him. He loved that place. Soon, he sat down, deciding to wait, placing his fingertips to the ground and closing his eyes.

Somedays he felt nothing. Some others, like that one, he could feel something going through his nervous system. It was almost as if he could feel the life beneath his fingers. The grass breathing, the small insects moving, the trees, the hill, the soil... everything seemed to exhale life. Sometimes he felt it, and sometimes he was closed off to their gentleness.

That day he felt so connected to them that he felt the steps coming up the hill, almost like a disturbance in the ecosystem.

"You're late" he said as the steps came closer. They stopped, applying pressure to only one part of the soil, and began walking again.

"You're getting better" Jim said, walking towards him and sitting in front of him. Oswald only then opened his eyes, taking his hands away from the earth and giving the man in front of him a smile.

"Thank you. I believe I am."

"You are."

They stayed silent for another moment before Jim looked at the bag he had brought and took out a jar of juice, and two sandwiches. He handed one to Oswald, who accepted it gladly, and kept the other for himself, both unwrapping their own and looking over at the sky.

The sunset in Gotham was so beautiful. The sky turned a nice shade of green, with a few specks of pink. It was truly wonderful. The two of them ate their food in silence, taking in each other's presence and taking their time, savoring the comfortable silence between them.

It was only when they finished the food and the drink that they moved closer, both lightening up a little flashlight, the world turning dark around them, apart from the two moons that showed up in the sky.

Their hands touched on the ground, twisting their silent attention from the light to each other, and in the presence of the moons, they leaned over, sharing a tender and sweet kiss that was never meant to last as long as it did. Their fingers intertwined over the grass, Jim's free hand coming to rest on Oswald's face, as Oswald's made its way to Jim's chest, holding tight onto his leather jacket.

A rebel and a smuggler, what a dreaded fate.

Only after they moved away, Oswald was able to make up words, his forehead still touching James'.

"Fish is suspicious" he whispered, opening his eyes and staring into James'. "She tells no one. She allows me to come and go as I please... but she knows something. We need to change spots..." because stopping it all together wasn't an option.

Jim did not seem so worried.

"My plans are almost at an end" he whispered, sliding his thumb over Oswald's cheek, down his jaw and neck. "I have a ship, a crew, money... we need nothing more. We will be able to get out of here soon... and I will take you with me. You will be free of Fish forever."

"James..." Oswald whispered, shaking his head, but Jim didn't allow him to finish. He brought their lips together again, shushing him.

"No" he said, brushing their noses together, eyes closed. "You don't get to say it. I will take you out of here. I will get you safe from this horrible planet. And we will be safe, and together. I promised you."

"It is a promise you can't keep..."

"It is a promise I will keep. And soon."

"That is not my destiny Jim" Oswald whispered, moving away from him and looking away. He turned towards the moons, staring at them. "Your plans will never succeed... as much as I want them to."

"You don't want them to" James said, voice firm and upset. "That's why they never will. You are intoxicated with that thought that your destiny is what your dreams showed you, they are not" he moved closer, taking Oswald's face, making him look at him. "Our destiny is not written down in the stars, we make of it as we please. And I want to make it with you. Don't you understand it?"

"At what cost James?" Oswald replied, holding his hands and taking them away from him, holding them on his lap. "Your friends? Your family? Everyone you love? The rebellion? Your morals, your beliefs? James, you were already denied by the rebels. The only reason you are alive is because you have friends there. You know too much, they don't have your back and you are looked for by everyone. Do you know in how much danger you are just by being here? With me? And if we do get out, you think Fish will just allow me to go without a fight? She will come after us, she will destroy us. And with she after us, the empire, the rebels, everyone will come as well. Do you know how dangerous it all is?"

"So I'm supposed to let you go, to wait for an empire general to come and save you?" James asked, resentful, filled with hatred and disappointed. "is that how destiny is supposed to work? With me letting you go, allowing you to follow someone else into the dark side? To allow the man I love to turn against me? Become my enemy?"

"I will never be your enemy."

"If you follow the empire, you will automatically turn into my enemy" James said firmly, and sighed. "Oswald, I can't lose you. I can't sit around and do nothing. I can't... begin to think of a life without you. I gave up everything for you. And now, you tell me to give up you as well?"

"No. I wouldn't dare to make that choice for you. Because I love you" Oswald said, biting his bottom lip and reaching out to hold James' face on his hands. "But I'm saying that because I don't want you to waste your life on me, James. My destiny does not cross with yours."

"Because of some general you see in your dreams?" James asked, clearly bothered, angry and upset, all at the same time. Oswald could sense his confusion just by touching his face.

"Yes" was his cold response. But the truth... was way more painful.

Because in his dreams, he saw the general that would come and change his life. He saw how he would only escape when he arrived, and that did not bother Oswald. He would have given up that man for James at any second. But it was the rest that didn't allow him to leave with James, to follow his plans.

Because he saw a beautiful alien, with green-ish skin and red hair, and he saw the happiness in James' eyes when he looked at her. A happiness Oswald would never be able to provide. He saw trust and mutualism, he saw love and happiness, he saw hybrid children and he saw a future, a future that he could not give James, not with him.

But by being away from him, he could protect them. He could protect James and his family, he could make sure the people he loved would be safe.

He knew James wouldn't give up on him so easily. He could see the determination in his eyes. But it was futile.

James was supposed to have a happier life... away from Oswald.

 

\-----------------------------

 

"Nygma, step forward."

Edward took a deep breath, swallowed his nerves down and stepped forward from the neatly made line of soldiers. His breath was shallow, his muscles were tense, but his eyes showed confidence and his posture showed discipline. His general walked towards him, his father and mother watching from the sideways, a hologram of the emperor just to the left of the room.

That... was his moment.

"For your bravery in action, for your leadership, for your technical skills and tactic mind, for your heart of fire and your ability to make difficult decisions, and for taking charge at a time when your brothers and sisters needed the most, we give you this medal" the general said, taking out a small medal from a box another man was holding to him. He turned, and placed it on Edward's chest, clipping it in place and stepping back. "And we proclaim you captain of the Alpha-Black troops, and demand you take your post now, in the Starfighter. Do you accept your new post?"

"With pride and pleasure sir" he responded, firmly, and the general smiled at him, nodding slowly.

"The emperor has great plans for you, Nygma" he said, and then stepped back. The ceremony continued, and at its end, the emperor called Edward closer to his hologram, looking him dead in the eye.

Even through a device, those eyes showed no emotions, cold and dead as a rock. It sent shivers down Edward's spine, of both terror and respect.

"Child" the emperor said, his voice rough and weak "I have great plans for you. When your time comes, you will be my most trusted warrior, and you will follow what I planned, until the end of your days."

It wasn't a question. It was a fact. And Edward nodded anyway, because he would.

He would serve the emperor until his last breath.

Whatever he had planned, Edward would achieve with precision.

He would make the empire proud.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!


End file.
